Absentee Ballot Process

Absentee voting begins six weeks prior to an election for registered voters. You may vote by absentee ballot if you fulfill one of the following criteria:

You will be absent on Election Day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which you are registered to vote

You are incapacitated or confined due to illness or physical disability

You are the primary caretaker for a person who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability

Your religious beliefs or practice prevent you from voting on Election Day

You are employed as an election authority, as a member of an election authority, or by an election authority at a location other than your polling place

You are incarcerated (provided all qualifications for voting are retained)

You are a certified participation in the address confidentiality program because of safety concerns

You can request absentee ballots from your local election authority in person or by mail or fax. Mailed in or faxed absentee ballot requests should be submitted to the appropriate local election authority. Relatives within the second degree (parents and children,) may complete an absentee ballot application, in person, on behalf of the voter who wishes to vote absentee. Do not send absentee ballot applications to the secretary of state's office. They must be sent to the local election authority to be valid.

Mail-in or faxed absentee ballot requests must be received by the election authority no later than the 5:00 pm on the second Wednesday before any election. If you have registered to vote by mail and are voting absentee the first time you vote, you are required to provide a copy of your ID with your absentee ballot request unless you provided a copy with your voter registration application. Examples of acceptable ID are:

Valid Missouri driver's license

Valid Missouri non-driver's license

Valid U.S. passport

Valid military ID

This identification requirement, as well as the notary requirement for absentee ballots, does not apply to overseas voters, those on active military duty or members of their immediate family living with them or voters who are permanently disabled and their caregivers.

The election authority must receive all absentee ballots by the close of polls on Election Day in order to be counted.

Overseas citizens and U.S. military personnel can register to vote and request an absentee ballot at the Overseas Vote Foundation.

Campaign Finance Information

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For information on federal campaign contributions, please visit Open Secrets.

Eligibility Requirements

A Missouri resident and must be registered to vote in the jurisdiction of the person's domicile prior to the election

Not confined under a sentence of imprisonment

Not on probation or parole after the conviction of a felony

Not convicted of a felony or misdemeanor connected with voting or the right of suffrage

ID Needed for Voter Registration

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When registering in person, you are required to present a form of personal ID. Accepted forms or ID are:

ID issued by the Federal Government, state of Missouri or a local election authority (For example: Missouri driver's license, US Passort, etc.)

ID issued by a Missouri institution (public or private) of higher education, including a university, college, vocational and technical schoolse

A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document that contains your name and address

Driver's license or state ID card issued by another state

If you do not have any of these accepted forms of ID, you may still cast a ballot if two supervising election judges, one from each major political party, attest they know you.

ID Needed for Voting?

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On October 19, 2018, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that Missouri voters will NOT be required to sign a legal statement if they present an acceptable, non-photo id.

Acceptable non-photo identification documents include utility bills, paychecks, student identification cards from Missouri post-secondary institutions, and bank statements. These documents must show your name and current address.

If you have questions about voting requirements for the November 6 general election, call your local election authority or the Secretary of State’s Office at 573-751-4936.

Voters must show an acceptable form of ID when going to vote. Acceptable forms of photo ID are as follows:

Missouri Driver's License

Missouri Non-driver License

US Passport

Military ID

If you do not have any of the above forms of ID, you can show any of the below secondary forms of ID.

Paycheck

Bank Statement

Voter registration card

ID from a Missouri Universiyt, College, Vocational or Technical School

Utility Bill

Government Check

Other Government Document showing your name and address

If you do not have any of the above forms of ID but are a registered voter you can still vote a provisional ballot. See "provisional ballot" below for more information.

If you need a photo ID and don't have you, fill out this form and the Secretary of State's office will help you obtain the documents you need.

Overseas and Military Voters

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You are a Military or Overseas voter if you are in uniformed services, living overseas OR a spouse or dependent of a uniformed services voter. To get registered and vote, you can utilize Overseas Vote Foundation.

If you have additional questions about elections and voting overseas you can use our state specific elections official directory or contact the Overseas Vote Foundation.

Poll Worker Information

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In order to be a poll worker in Missouri:

You must be registered to vote in Missouri

You must be at least 18 years old

Political affiliation preferred

You must be a resident of the jurisdiction

You must complete required training

You will be entitled to compensation

Students 15-17 years old must have full time attendance in a Missouri school

Polling Place Locator

If you have further questions on your polling place location, please contact your county clerk.

Provisional Voting

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Provisional Ballots are counted two weeks after the election.

Provisional voting is one of the election reform measures provided to guarantee every qualified and registered voter has the opportunity to vote on Election Day.

If your name does not appear on the poll book and you are eligible to vote at that precinct, you may be entitled to vote a provisional ballot. Every effort will be made to determine your eligibility and your correct polling place so you can cast a regular ballot.

Provisions for Voters with Disabilities

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You may bring anyone you choose to assist you with voting if you cannot read or write, are blind or have some other physical disability and cannot vote your ballot. If you require assistance and do not bring a person to assist you, you are entitled to receive assistance from an election judge. You must request assistance, and upon your request, two election judges from different political parties will assist you. Depending on the number of judges present and voter turnout, there may be a wait for an election judge to assist you.

If you have a question regarding a specific required assistance, please contact your local election authority to determine what assistance is available at your polling place.

Registration Deadline

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In order to be registered to vote in an election, you need to be registered by 5:00 p.m., or the normal close of business of any public building where registration is allowed, whichever is later, on the fourth Wednesday prior to the election. If you register after such time, you are registered to vote in subsequent elections.

Time Off To Vote

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Employers must grant employees up to three hours paid leave to vote, unless polls are open three consecutive hours before or after regular working shift. Employees must request this time prior to Election Day, and the employer may specify when during the working day employees may take time off.

Verify Voter Registration

Voting Machines

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The voting systems used in Missouri are optical scan and punch card.

Optical Scan: With this system, you will receive a card or sheet of paper, which you take over to a private table or booth. The card has the names of the various candidates and ballot measures printed on it. With a pen or pencil you fill in a little box or circle or the space between two arrows. When you are finished filling out all the cards, you may bring the cards over to a ballot box, where poll workers will show you how to put the cards in the box. Or in some places, you may feed the completed cards or papers into a computer device that checks your card or paper right there at the polling place to make sure you have voted the way you want to and counts the votes.

Punchcards: With a punchcard system, when you sign in at the polling place, the poll workers will give you one or more cards. These cards are usually about 8 inches by 3 inches, with small rectangles that can be punched out. You take your cards to a small private table. You'll see a booklet mounted on a frame. The frame will have a place for you to slide your first card in. Make sure that it's in all the way and lined up correctly. If you're not sure, ask one of the poll workers to make sure you've got it right. The table also has a little device (often a metal stylus or stick) that you use to punch holes next to the name of the person or ballot measure you want to vote for. Give it a firm punch, so it pushes out that little cardboard rectangle or chad. You may have to look at the booklet carefully so that you punch the right hole lined up with the person you want to vote for. Often there is a little arrow that helps you find the right hole. Some punchcards have the names of the candidates written right on the cards. You may need to vote on more than one card. Look it over carefully, so you put the right card in the right slot. Some punch card systems use both sides of the card, so look on the back of each card too. Check to see that all the holes are punched all the way through and there are no little pieces of cardboard (chad) hanging from your card. When you are done, pick up all your cards. There may be an envelope to put your cards in. Take your cards over to the ballot box and put the cards into the box.

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